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COUNCIL OF NATIONAL DEfp-ENSE 

Organized by 
Act of Congress 
August 29. 191b 

Secretary cf War, Chairman 
Secretary of Navy- 
Secretary of Interior 
Secretajy cf Agriculture 
Secretary of Commerce 
Secretary of Labor 



I 



ADVISORY COMMISSION 

Provided for in Organi-c Act. 

Nominated by Council. 

i^pointed by President. 

Mr. Ibniel Willard, Chairraan 

Mr. Howard E. Coffin 

Dr. Hoi lis Godfrey 

Mr. Julius Rosenwald 

Mr. Bernard M. Baruch 

Mr. Sanuel Gompers 

Dr. Franklin H. Martin 



DIRECTOR OF COUNCIL AND ADVISORY COMMISSION 
Mr. W. S. Giffcrd 



SECTIONS AND BOARDS OF THE COUNCIL 



General, iiunitions Board 



Munitions Standards Board 



Aircraft Production Board 



Medical Section 



CoanerciaLl Ebonomy Board 



Interdepartmental Advisory Committee 



Cooperative Connittees on Pijxchcise of 
Army Supplies \U. S. Chamber of Commerce) 



Inventions (Naval Consulting Board) 



National Research Council 



Committee on Slipping 



Comaiittee on Women's Defense Work 



COTiiaittee on Coal Production 



Section on Cooperation with States 



ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIMTIOH 



Secretary of Council and of 

Advisory Commission 
Mr. Grcsvenor B. Clarkson 



I Assistants to Director h 



IChief Clerk 



Statistics and Organization 



FJKCTIONS^COMMITTEES^ AND COOPERATIVE 
COMMITTfeES OF AEVISARY COMISSION 



Transportation and Communication 
Cooperative committees on 
Telegraphs and Telephones 
Railroads 
Electric Railroads 



Mr. Willard 



Munitions - Mr. Coffin 
Cooperative committees on 
Automotive Transport 
Public Utilities 



Ehgineering and' Education - Dr. Godfrey 



Supplies - Mr. Rosenwald 
Cooperative committees on 
Cotton Goods 
Woolen Goods 
Knit Goods 
Shoes and Leather 



Raw Materials - Mr. Baruch 
Cooperative committees on 
Alcohol 
Aluminum 

Asbestos, Magnesia, and Roofing 
Brass 
Cement 
Chemicals 

Coal Tar By-Products 
Copper 
Lead 
Lumber 
Mica 
Nickel 
Oil 

Rubber 

Steel and Steel Products 
Sulphur 
Vool 
Zinc 



Labor - Mr. Gompers 
Sub-committees on 
Wages and Hours 
Mediation and Conciliation 
Welfare Work 
Women in Industry 
Information and Statistics 
Press 
Publicity 
Cost of Living 



Medicine and Surgery - Dr. 
General Medical Board 
Standardization' 



Martin 



Washington, D. C. - May 29, 1917 









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3. o:. .,- 
JAN 23 1919 



it 9,. 

" COUilCIL OP lUTIONAL DEEEFSE 
Vi/aehinetcn . 



FOR RELH.SE IH 1IG\-/SP;.PEHS OF 
MOI-TIIY :!0hinE 5. Jims 25. 1^17 . 



Hots 'Lo tf c lil-ors ; This is the first 
ofi^'icia] corapre.-onsive stateutTxt of 
the organisation aiid scconipllKituieiits 
of the Go-uaoil of National Defense 
and i-B Advisory CoiTiinisRicn. It is 
s-'7.£gectoCL that if feo-sTole yoxi treat?: 
fit rjrovt up and publish it in sec- 
tions, 



A KRPOBT mai THI: 'DIK'MOR OF BIL COUjICIL 0? rL;::i 0;i:.L DEFmSB 
;J1)"0F- -.To ADVISOPY CO'.EIIGvSfOiT 



©3 -JL (iPJ/'Ffrl'JJ OF 'PPJ^ CO'JiiCIL 



Hay 28, 1917. 



The Honorable Nev/ton D. Baker, 

Secretary of V/ar and 

Chairman of the Council of j-'ctiCEal Defense^ 



Sir: 



Herein I have the honor to hand you a statement of the organization and 
accoraplisliments of the Council of ITationsl Defense, its Advisory Commission, 
and the various boards, sections and coaxiittees under both the Council and 
the Conmission. 

As an introductory statement a fev/ of the acco?;olishments in question 
niay be concretely instanced as follov/s: 



The mobilization of the 262,000 miles of railroads of the country for 
the Government's defense; 

The close-knit organization of the telephone and telegraph companies 
of AiTierica to insure to the Governiaent the most rapid and efficient v/ire 
coiranunicati ons ; 



- 2 - 

The settlement of the recent thr«6.tc5»9<3i national yaiXroad strikee; 

The very general acceptance by labor and capital of the suggestion 
of the Council that existing laoor staiKlards s:iould not be changed until 
the need for such action had been determined by the Coujicil v/ith the 
steadying influence on industry growing OMt of such action; 

The procureiTient of 45,000,000 pounds of copper for the uses of the 
An-jTy and Navy of the United States at less tha» one-half of the then cur- 
rent market price — a saving to the GoverxMient of appro:iimately .$10,000,000. 

Similar accomplishments as to steel, sine and alujuinum. 

The completion of the inventory, for Hjilitary purposes, of 27,000 Amer- 
ican manufacturing plants; 

The money saving to the Government, through appointment over the 
country oi committees of business men to Assist the quartermasters'^ depart- 
ment of the -Irmy in the economical and efficient pvirchase of supplies; 

The saving to the Goverru.ient of millions of dollars by the proper 
co-ordination of purchases tln^ough tiie ageiicy of the General Munitions 
Board of tlie Council of Katioaal Defense; 

The creation, under the medical section of the Council, of a General 
Medical Board, consisting of many of the most highly qualified surgeons 
and physicians of the country; 

The selection by the saivje section of thousands of doctors specifical- 
ly qualified for membership in tlie medical officers reserve corps, and the 
standardization, far on its way to cowrpletion, of surgical instruments and 

supplies; 

The creation by the Covmcil of the Aircraft Production Board, which is 
setting out to raake 3,500 air planes and to train 6»000 aviators tliis year; 

The very definite results obtained by the Council's Committee on Coal 
Production in the prOctirftiacnt.,and expeditious shipment of coal, both in the 
civilian and federal interests; 

♦ 

The successful initiation of a movement to co-ordimte activities on 
the part of the States of the Union for the national defense, brought to 
a clear and workable focus by tho conference of states lield recently in 
V/ashingtoh at the call and under the auspices of tls Council. 

The organization of a railroad coianittee to send to Russia; and 

Tlie enlistment of reserve engineer regiments to aid in rehabilitating 
the railioads of Prance. 



.JX-XS 



- 5 - 

Such a summary excludes very many accomplishments detailed in the body 
pf the report. 

The Council of National D<Tfenso, though croati^-d undor the Act of Con- 
gross approved August 29, 1916, mos not fully organized for business until 
March 1, 1917. Since that dr.to its record has bcjn one of steady, consist- 
ent growth. 

The duties and functions of the Council as defined by the Act of Con- 
gress which created it are, briefly stated, as follovjs: 

In the terms of the Act, the Council is, among other things, charged 
with the "coordination of industries and resources for tte national se- 
curity and welfare", and with the "creation of relations which will render 
possible in the time of need the immediate concentration and utilization 
of the resources of the nation." 

In performing its functions the Council is further charged with 

the following duties: 

1. To supervise and direct investigation, and make recom- 
, mendations to the President and the heads of Executive Departments 
as to: 

(a) The location of railroads with reference to the 
frontier of the United States, so as to render possible 
expeditious concentration of troops and supplies to 
points of defense, 

(b) The coordination of military, industrial and 
commerci:.l purposes in the location of extensive high- 
ways and branch linos of railroads. 

(c) The utilization of waterways. 

(d) The mobilization of military and naval resources 
for defense. 

(o) Tho increase of domestic production of articles and 
materials essential to the support of armies :.nd of the 
people during tho interruption of foreign commerce. 



■ <% vr\ tf*~^ 



. 4 . 



(f ) Tho development^ of soagoiag transportation. 

(g) Data as to ainounts, locn.tion» »fiethod r.nd mens of 
production "and, availaWlity of military supplies. 

(h) Tho' giving of informatical to producers and raanufao- 
turors aa to the claea of supplies needed by the mili- 
tary and other services of tha govarnment, tho require- 
ments relating thereto, and the croation of r<jlation3 
which will render possible in tijua of need the immediate 
concontration and utilization of tho resources of the 
nation. 

2. To report to the President or to the heads of Executive 
Departments upon special inquiries or subjects appropriate thereto. 

3* To submit an annual report to Congress, through tho Pres- 
ident, giving as full a statement of the activities of the Coun- 
cil and the agencies subordinate to it, as is consistent with the 
public interest, including an itemiaod account of the expenditures 
made by the Council, or authoriaod by it, in as full detail as 
the public interest will permit, providing, however, that when 
deemed proper tho President, may authorize, in amounts stipulated 
by him, unvouchered expenditures, and report the gross so auth- 
orized not itemized. 



Specific referi?noe is hor^iaabov© had to Section 2 of the Array 
Appropriation Act, approved August 29, 1916, In this section will be 
found the authority for the croation of an Advisory Commission of seven 
persons to act with, vindor, and by authority of the Council. 

The Council of National Defense is coniposed as follows: 

Secretary of V7ar Newton D. Baker, Chairman 

Secretary of the Navy Josepbus Daniels 

Secretary of the Interior Franklin K. Lane 

Secretary of Agriculture David F. Houston 

Secretary of Commerce \lm. C. Rgdfield 

Secretary of Labor -Mn. B. V/ilson 



"^r. Wn; 



- 5 - 



The members of the Advisory Coitiraission are: 



Daniel V/iHard, Chairman; president of 
the Baltimore ajid Ohio Railroad; 

Hov/ard E. Coffin, vice-president of 
the Hudson Motor Company; 



Julius Rosenv/ald, president of Sears, 
Roebuck and Company; 

Bernard I.I. Baruch, financier; 



Dr. Hollis Godfrey, president of the 
Drexel Institute; 

Samuel G-ompers, president of the 
^Lmerican Federation of Labor; 



Dr. Franklin Martin, secretary general 
of the American College of Surgeons; 



In partic ular charge of 

Transportation and communioa- 
tion. 

Munitions, manufacturing, 
including standardization 
and industrial relations. 

Supplies, including 
clothing. 

Raw materials, minerals 
and metals. 

Engineering and education. 



Labor, including conservation 
of health and welfare of 
worke rs . 

!Iedicine, stirgery and 
sanitation. 



The Director of the Co\mcil and Advisory Commission is Walter S. Gifford, 
aij-d the Secretary of the Coioicil and Advisory Commission is Grosvenor B. Clark- 
son. 

Under both Coimcil and Commission there have been created various boards, 
sections and conTOittees. The work and accoinplishraents of the subordinate 
bodies under the Cotaicil v;xll herein first be dealt v/ith. 



- 6 - 

The Gen a-al Ifemitions Board 

3 On. April 9, 1917, the General Itoiitions Board began its work under 

orders of the Council of national Defense. Itc cTiai i-moji in Pxonlr > . . 
Scott, vice-president of the V/arner & Sv/asey Coi.ipany, an aclciowledged 
aut/iority in the production of munitions for the vises of modem war; 
and is composed of seventeen qualified representatives of the War and Navy 
Departments, and six civilians exclusive of the chairman. It should 
be stated tliat prior to the organization of the Board, the \7ar and Navy 
Departments mig^t compete with each other in the open market and even 
within these two great departments certain sub-departments might compete 
with each other. The work under the Board of co-ordinating the depart- 
mental buying has, of course, eliminated any outstanding cases of this 
nature. The method adopted is simply to furnish a clearing house for 
the orders that involve material in which a national shortage exists or 
is anticipated. V/here manufccturing facilities are insufficient, the 
Board directs its efforts to developing new facilities. 

The subjects dealt with by the Board and some of the restilts so far 
obtained are as follows: 

Sirall Arms - Rifle Contracts : Conferences with manufacturers held; 
enough capacity to supply 1,000,000 men developed; contract form drawn 
satisfactory to and signed by Chief of Ordnance. 

Small Arras - Ammunition Contracts: Contracts covering supply of 
ammunition for small arms have been drawn and a svixficicnt amount and 
suitable deliveries have been secured. 



■ ziOfiiigo - 



- 7 - 



Artillery - Amrnunition ; Conferences with manufacturers held; general 
prico situation discuasod; specifications in some cases modified; sufficient 
supply developed; and typo of contract to be used arrived at. 

Gun Forcings ; Conferences vith manufacturers held; expansion of manu- 
facturing facilities developed; method for reimbursing manufacturers fa- 
expansion satisfactory to manufacturers arranged for; manufacture of guns 
already begun. 

Ilachining of Gun Forgings 3" to 6 "; Conferences with manufacturers 
hold; possible sources of supply discovered and developed; sufficient 
facilities found. 

Gun Carriages . Limbers, Caissons, Forge Wagons ; Conferences v;ith 
manufacturers held; sources of supply in process of devolopraunt, and raw 
maljerial secured. 

Military Vehicles - aside from Motor Transport : 
Conferences with manufacturers held; sufficient sources of supply developed; 
specifications modified and standardized; seasoned timber secured. 

Motor Transport - including ambulances and armored cars ; Confer- 
ences held with manufacturers; standardization of type secured; supply 
of material for ambulance bodies arranged for. A satisfactory production 
of armored cars was arranged for by the Ordnance Department. 

Machine Guns ; A reduction in prices to be paid for machine guns 
needed for the Army and Ilavy has been secured, accomplished by conferences 
with manuf actiirers . Work is going forward to increase production of these 
guns. 

Armor-piercing Shells ; A method for payment on the various size pro- 
jectiles was developed and suggested. 



«; :.'-; '• « .«. •.t''..0^;y)' 



- 8 - 

Cotton Duck for tentage - cots and infantry eruipment : 

Manufacturers of cotton duck were assisted in creating a suf- 
ficient supply of duck for haversacks in tine to meet the needs of the 
army. 

Raw Materials - including metals, lumber, leather, high explosives: 

CoDiraittees on these subjects liave taken the necessary steps toward 
securing a sufficient supply. 

Medical Supplies - including surgical instruments: 

Conferences \;ith raanufacturers v/cre held and means for reducing 
the recuirenents of the civil and Am^ and ITavy branches to a minirmun v/ere 
discussed. The supply of surgical instruiients, etc. is being arranged for. 

Stores V.'ork: Arrangements have been imde for the tuition of large 
numbers of men anxious to enter the storage branch of the service; stor- 
age basES have likewise been developed. 

Cantonment V/ork : Form of contract has been di-awn satisfactory to 
Quartermaster's Departn^nt and contractors. Certain suggestions have 
likewise been submitted to facilitate construction and create a saving. 

Ojjt ical Glass - Military Instrtmients : After thorough investigation 

a shortage of this material v/as found, and steps are nov/ being taken to 
standardize and eliminate instr\imcnts not absolutely necessary, and to 
arrange for increased jjroduction. 

Recommcnciations of fair and just prices : The Board has been called 
upon to make reconmendations upon prices submitted the Army and ITavy and 
Quartermaster's Department as to v/hether these prices were fair and just. 
In each case these reconmcndations have been made. 



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9 - 



Ad justment with British aovern.i.nt on snail am factories in this 
country; An adjuatn..nt has boon .aado with the British Governnont covering 
purchase by the United States Govem..ent of .machinery and equipment in ' 
British si^all arms factorios in this country. 

££Qg£ain_of_ConferQnces with English C.n.^.s. ........ The Secretary 

of the Board has arrangod a program of confor.nccs b.two.n roprosent.tiv.s 
Of various 7ar and Navy Dcpartmonts and the visiting British Com^^issioners, 
to discuss various technical subjects pertaining to their departments. 

Establishment of prxority in machine tool orders and demand for 
Other material: In cases wh.n called upon by the Army and Navy this Board 
has instructed certain .nanufacturers to give precedence to ,.x.chino tools 
desired in connection with urgent governmental work; o^d Ix.ewise has de- 
cided between the needs of private industry and those of the V/ar and Navy 
Departments, 

Investigation of G.,,^p s: This Board has investigated the status 
Of military material xn this country and in Canada; arrangements have 
been made with the Bureau of Standards for Calibrating gauges and for 
the care and custody of master gauges. 

compilation of StPtl.tins: A confidential list of approximr.tely 
660 manufacturers of munition and kindr.d articles has be.n prepared aM 
submitted to the War ..nd Navy Departments for their guidance in purchr.sing 
such iTiaterial. 

The General Hunitions Board has since its organization, through 
thecoordination of purcha.sing alone, saved mny millions of dollars to 
the government. 



- 10 - 



Munitions Standprds Board 

On March 20, 1917, the Coimcil of National Defense fornaally created 
the Munitions Standards Board, previously organized by Commissioner 
Coffin, the Advisory raemher on Munition work. Itsoptirpose being to 
standardize munitions specifications, in so far as possible to permit 
of quantity production of mxmitions at the most reasonable prices ob- 
tainable. The following experts were appointed to compose the Board: 

Prank A. Scott, of tlie 'Varner and Swasey Company, Cleveland, manu- 
facturers of putomatic machinery and optical instruments, chairman; 

W. H« Vandervoort, of Boot and Vandervoort, builders of special 
machine tools, and president of the Moline Automobile Company; 

E. A. Deeds, formerly general manager of the National Cash Register 
Company, president of the Dayton Engineering Company, and interested in 
many industrial activities; • 

Francis Pratt, of the General Electric Company, Schenectady; 
i'Samuel Vauclain,, of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, Remington and 
Westinghouse companies; 

John N. Otterson, vice-president, Winchester Arms Company; 

Careful investigations have been made and meetings held with manu- 
facturers of shells, machine guns, etc. with resulting introduction of 
modifications in specification and design to permit of greater quantity of 
production. A comprehensive list of manufacturing concerns who had been 
and were manufacturing munitions for the Allies, was compiled for confidential 
use and the productive capacity of the country along these lines was developed 
and tabulated. 



o.r - 



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- 11 - 



Airci'gft Production Board 

The Cotincil authorized this Board as organized by Commissinaier Cofi'in 
to proceed v/ith this program in accords-nce v/ith the plan hereiiiafter set 
forth: 

1. Engineering; : To cooperate with the plane and engine de- 
sign departments of the ^'<.rmy and Navy, with all manufacturers, 
engineering laboratories, private, individual, etc., to advance 
the science of aviation and aerostation, and to stimulate the 
production of a better type of aircraft, 

2. Specif ications and Standardization : To advise and assist 
in such standardization of material and parts and, as far as is 
practicable, of types of aircraft as will aid in increasing the 
productive capacity of the industry in the most efficient forms 
of aircraft. 

3. Production : To investigate the source of supply of air- 
craft of all kinds and the materials entering into tliera and to 
assist in the formulation and execution of such plans as may be 
necessary to enable the Government to purchase all kinds of air- 
craft of the types and in the quantities desired. 

This will cover advice in connection with: 

(a) Co-ordination of designs of all aircraft matters 
through the officers of the allied countries stationed here for 
that purpose. 

(b) Arrangements v/ith existing Junerican factories as 

to kinds of aircraft best suited to their organizations and facil- 
ities and cuantities to be built by them, 

(c) Suitable arrcngements v/"nen necessary to advance 
government funds v/liere larger contracts are considered than can 
be privately financed or to riake arrangements on a cost-plus 
basis, 

(d) Utilization of such idle facilities aid creation . 
of such nev/ sources of supply as in the judgment of the Board 
are necessary to meet the needs of the Government. 

4. Inspection ; To cooperate v/ith the inspection organizations 
of the Army and Navy and to assist in co-ordinating their present 
systems of inspection to the end tlxi t if possible tlere be one 
system, one standard and one organization for the inspection of air- 
craft in this coiontry. 



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- 12 - 



5. Avlgtion Schools ; Fallowijig the selection of site® by the military 
departments, to sdvise in regard to buying or leasing the land, preparing 
it fer use, pnd erecting p11 buildings, 

6. Supply De ijots; Following the ?pproval of sites, to ?dvise in 
•rogsrd to leasing the land, erecting the necessery buildings. 

''* P yj-ority : To advise regarding priority of deliveries of sircrpft 
material as between the departments in accordance with a general policy as 
determined by the Council of National Defense. 

A condensed report of the work already accomplished in connection with 

aircraft production under the Aircraft Production Board or under direction 

of its chairman previous to organization of the board itself follows; 

Assisted in the organisation of the Pan-American Aeronautical Exposition 

in New York last Pebnaary. 

Assisted in organizing the aircraft manufacturers into an assooiationV 

Negotiated %"ith the Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation and Curtiss 

Aeroplsne Cemppny and others to secure a basis for the settlement of the 

Airplane patent situation. Agreement has been reached between the parties 

at interest subject to the preparation of prrper legal cross-licensing 

agreement. 

Evolved in cooperation with the chief signal officer a training plan 

for aviators. 

Assembled the presidents ♦f six military engineering universities and 

assisted in starting six schools for the preliminary training of aviator 

— J 
cadets. 

) 

Arranged for the sending of professors- to take instruction at Toronto 

on this cadet instruction work. 

Developed in cooperation with the chief signal offiter and the Aero- 
nautical Division a standard type of aviation school buildings snd equip- 
ment of buildings. 

Arranged ftr conjjlete working drawings, estimates of cost, etc. 



~ 13 - 

Assisted the Aeronauticr.l Division in investigating sites for aviation 
schools. 

Investigated the production facilitius of aeroplanes in the United 
States and raade recommendations to the chief signal ofiicer covering orders 
that should be placed at once. 

Assisted in the preparation of leases covering training fields 
authorized by the War Dopartnent. 

Arranged for etandardization of training type of machine between 
English, Canadian and United States service. 

Plans for battle types of machines are being developed and orders for 
machines are actually being placed by the military authorities. 

Medical Section 

The Iledical Section is under the general supervision of Dr. Franklin 
H. I.Iartin, of the Advisory Commission; and in the immediate charge of Dr. 
F. F. Simpson, who acts as chief of the section. 

In ascertaining the civilian medical resources of the country and 
comparing these resources with the actual resources and personnel of the 
raediaal departments of the United States Army, Navy, Public Health Service 
and tte American National Red Cross, the prime need was the careful se- 
lection from the civilian medical profession of thoroughly qualified 
doctors -.The could be recoramondec' to the Army and Navy as .nembors of the 
medical officers reserve corps, a list of these men to be sub.nitted to the 
Surgeons General for inspection, elimination and final acceptance of those 
found desirable. In pursuance of this plan committees were formed in each 
State and asked to submit a selected group of medical practitioners from 



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- 14 - 

their respective sections. These lists were carefully compiled and di- 
vided into sections according to ages and specialties, and the names of 
the selected men \/ere furnished to the Surgeons General. The selection of 
21,000 competent physicians has beon completed. The Lien represented hy 
these lists were also given applications for positions in the medical officers' 
reserve corps v/itli request that they fill out the blanlcs and file the appli- 
cations with the Surgeons General. 

The next important duty v/as to obtain young medical men, preferably 
recent graduates, for. service as medical officers in the regiJlar army and 
navy medical corps. The deans of the various medical schools came to 
Washington, at the instance of the lledical Section, and asked tlrat medical 
officers of the Army and Ilavy be detailed to said schools to teach gradu- 
ating classes the administrative details in connection '.vith medical officers, 
in order to make available the 3,500 medical students to be graduated in June. 
This action has resulted in materially filling the gaps in the regular army 
and navy medical corps v/ith men of the most desirable type. 

The third problem in raiik: of importance has been to standardize the 

various instrtmiQats, supplies and equipment common to the Army, Navy, 

Public Health Service and Red Cross, co-ordinating them v/ith the needs 

of the civilian medical profession. The necessity for tMs is obvious 

v/hen it is knov;nthat a large percentage of medical instruments and other 

supplies are rnanufactured in Germany, and it was vitr,l to obtain aiitable 

substitutes from American nanufacturors. Committees representing the 

Army, Navy, Public Health Service and Eed Cross, and civilian doctors, 
i 
i were formed to standardize the existing supply tables and to select tnose 



- 15 - 

necessary for the proper conduct of the departments. These committees 
after m?ny months of ^ork hrve formulated their recommends t ions, end 
catalogues with the authorized standardized instruments ere now being 
published. 

Consultations hpve been had with the deans of the raedicpl schools of 
the country in cooperation with the Surgeons General, and arrrngements 
made by which medicpl schools will continue their regulpr work and supply 
the normal output of young medical men, thus, it is hoped, avoiding the 
disastrous results of other countries flowing from the disorganizption of 
medical schools. There has ?lso been established ? method by v/hich, in 
cooperation with the large civil hospitals of the country, their staffs 
will be segregated, allowing the younger and more active men to enroll 
in the officers' reserve corps for duty et the front. 

A General Medical Board composed of civilian medical men of the high- 
est rank has been formed, which meets at stated intervals in V7?shington to 
advise ?nd cooperate with the Surgeons General of the Army, Wavy, Public 
Health Service and Bed Cross in all mptters needing cooperrtion between 
these brpnches ?nd the large civilian medicpl element. This Board, vvork- 
ing through sub-committees, is in a position to furnish the very latest 
information on medical and s'lrgical experience in the Europeen war and 
from the principal laboratories and reseprch organizations of America, 
and with regard to the relative desirability of men who are candidates 
for positions in the medicpl reserve corps or the regular medical orps 
of the Army and Navy. At the instance of the General Medical Board, 



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- 16 - 

the Council of National Defense has taken decisive steps for the hygenic 
and moral v/elfare of the soldiers and sailors of the nation. 

The General I'ledical Board also aids in the selection of civilian?, 
dentists and veterinarians for service in the medical departments of the 
Army and Navy. 

Finally, the efforts of the Iledical Section have heen constructively 
directed toward aiding the medical departments of the Army and Navy in 
securing the doctors and materials needed for an array of such size as may 
be created, and to do with the minimum disturbance of civilian doctors, 
hospitals, medical schools and manufacturers of medical, siirgical and 
sanitary supplies. The v<ork of the section is too extensive further to 
detail here. 

Interdepartmental Advi sonr Committee 
This comnittee was established on March 29, 1917, to siiggcst, coor- 
dinate and speed work for the National Defense and to avoid duplication of 
effort in the prosecution of thatwork. It is composed of a representa- 
tive from each of the ten executive departments of the Government, together 
with a representative of the National Research Council, and the assistant 
to the Director of the Council of National Defense in charge of coopera- 
tion V7ith the States. The committee is presided over by the Director of 
the Council, who reports the formation of all committees by the Coimcil, 
or Advisory Conraission vi th regard to which the various departments may have 
valuable information. The Director also reports all recommendations and 
suggestions as to which the different departments can give assistance. 
This coi-nraittee meets at least twice a v/eek at the offices of the Co-uncil, 



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the closest and inost effective cooperation is being had hetween the mem- 
bers of this committee, the work of which, has materially aided in tight- 
ening up the machinery for the National Defense. 

Inventioua 



(Naval Consulting Board of the United States) 

The Naval Consulting Board of the United States, headed hy Thomas A. 
Edison, and composed of emiment scientists and inventors, acts as a hoard 
of inventions for the Council of National Defense. Tlie Boar d is now, 
and has been for some time, actively engaged in the investigations of 
plans to counteract the submarine menace. 

Coiranercial Econonw Board 

The duties of this Board, under the chaiMTanship of A. V/. Shaw, are 
to ascertain how conmercial business may best meet demands made upon it 
by the war, and how men, supplies and equipments now employed in trade can 
be made available for the needs of the Government without impairing the 
essential services of ti-ade and without xuuiecessary hardships to the public 
at large. 

The following subjects are already vinder investigation by the Commer- 
cial Economy Boardi 

(a) DGliverv Service ; To tlK end of determining how tile delivery 
service of retail: stores may be curtailed duriiig the v.cr conferences 
have been held with representative merchants, and agents of the board have 
made personal investigation of typical stores in V/ashington, Philadelphia, 



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- 18 - 

Pittsburg and other cities, nn 1 a carefully prepare/', schelule of questions 
is bc-ing sent to sovcral thousand stores in all p?.rts of the country. The 
v/ork has already liscloso 1 that rnr^ny retail stores can arr?-ngG to release 
men tjtlI equipment from their delivery .lepart .lonts for the government ser- 
vice. 

(b) Other services ; The board is inv<jstigating other moans of 
economy in the operation of retail stores^ looking, for example, to the 
amelioration of the widespread abuse of return privileges, since in 
numerous stores twenty percent of the merchandise sold is i^eturned. 
In this, as in all related subjects, the board is gathering such infor- 
mation as it can regarding European experience. 

In wholesale and manufacturing trade matters the board is, for exa^aple, 
as a result of conferences with the National V/holesale Grocer's Association, 
gathering information from its members on such subjects as economics in 
wrapping, packing, reduction in size of catalogues and the employment of 
fewer salesmen for handling their trade* Likev/iso, the board has made 
local invcstigr^tions regarding the practice among bakers of taking ba.ck 
unsold bread from retailers, the bread thus taken back boing resold, in 
some cases to the poor, but frequently to the farmers for hog or chicken 
feed. On this matter the boarl has addressed an inquiry to more than 400 
regresentative bakers in all garte cf th« Unitod Stutoo. 

Thvi CoramcrciL.l Economy Board hc.s likcwioo rai^do preliminary invjjti- 
gationc of the problomo likoly to -..ri-v. from the divurcion of certain ravr 
materials from ordinary commercial purpoc^s to the production of militrjy sup- 
pli..3. The govcrnmont'5 orders for blankets and clothing v;ill require a largo 



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- 19 - 

portion of the available supply of raw wool. Hence, the ordinary commer- 
cial demand r!ust "be modified. 

The Commercisl Economy Board holds that to advise consijmers now to 
stop buying the stales of garments and shoes already msde \7ould be poor 
public policy. Preliminary investigation by the Board shows that consum- 
ers who make purchases now should buy what is on hand in retail stores. 
The Board plans to work with manufacturers and merchants to learn what 
modifications in styles should be made in fu.ture, in order to secure 
economy in the commercial use of materials needed by the government for 
the purposes of war. 

. Cooperative Committees on the Purchase ''f Army Supplies 
(in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce of United States) 
At the instance and with the approval of the Council of National 
Defense, advisory committees of highly qualified business men have been 
appointed by the Chamber of Commerce of the United States in various cities 
of the country to cooperate with the local quarterm.asters. These committees 
have rendered valuable aid in many different ways in m.eny different local- 
ities. The knowledge of business and local traffic ccnditions possessed 
by these committees has been of the greatest service to the government in 
the purchase of supplies. These committees are coTistc-intly supplying the 
government with lists of buyers in various lines availa'i^e for service as 
inspectors of merchandise. Competent traffic and shipping roen to co- 
operate and advise with the quartermasters are being sought. 



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- 20 - 
Coirmittee on Coal Production 

Under the chairmanship of P. S, Peabody, president of the Peabody Coal 
Co pany of Chicago, the Committee on Coal Production, recently formed, has 
already accoinplishod marked definite results. The Department of Labor, 
v/itli the assi stance of the American Federation of Labor and the cooperation 
of the CoiumittGo on Coal Production, has already settled serious difficulties 
which have arisen between operators and rainers in various localities, 
notably ^!^Z District in Pennsylvania. Conferences have been held with the 
Department of the Interior, resulting in tlie isaianco of a departmental order 
discontinuing long havils of cars carrying coal to Indian schools and agencies 
v/hen nearby coal soui-ces could as \/ell be used, thus releasing the cars for 
more important movements. The coiamittee is in constant conference with 
the Wavy Department on the subject of coal for battle ships. Action has 
been taken to increase facilities for handling and storing government coal 
at Galveston .and Texas City, Texa^. Conferences with local coal dealers 
of Washington, D, C, on the supply of coal foi- public buildings in V/ash- 
ington, have resulted in a promise irora the producers of a sufficient 
dupply to cover the Government's requirements. 

Another conference of lake shippers of coal aid ore, railroad re- 
presentatives and the representatives of lake vessels, to determine 
how to consolidate cargoes of coal so as to avoid holding both cars and 
vessels for the p.ccurnulation of individual cargoes, resulted, the 
cofflj-nittee believes, in a solution of the problem satisfactory to all 
Interests — n. solution whidi will probably increase the a,bility of 



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- 21 - 

shippers, railroads and vessels to carry to the head of the lakes some 
additional two f?nd one-half million tons cf coal and bring in return the 
same tonn?ge of iron ore. 

Committee on '.Vomen's Defense Work 
Under the chairmanship of Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, the Committee on 
Women's Defense Work of the Council of National Defense was created 
April 21, 1917, 

Its plan of organization contemplates coordinating the organized 
forces of the women of the country for the national defense by working 
through state organizptions now in process of formation. Already a tem- 
porary chairmen has been appointed for each state of the Union and for 
the District of Columbia. !Phe temporary chairmen is instructed to call 
into conference at the earliest possible date, the presidents, or their 
representatives, of all state organizations of women, such conferences 
to be executive In character* Permanent committees will be formed com- 
posed «f the president of, or one representative from, each state organi- 
zation of women willing to cooperate. Each opmmittee shall continue 
during the war and as long thereafter as the Council of National Defense, 
may direct, and shall constitute with its committee in counties, cities 
and towns, the affiliated representatives of the Women's Committee of the 
C'luncil of National Defense for that State. The Cojpnittee on Women's 
Defense Work contemplates activity under the following headings: 

1. Organization of the state {the elected officers should 

take charge nf the work). 

2. Finanfte-. 

3. Registration for service. 



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- 22 - 



4. v.^T^if. relief. 

5. Allied relief. 

6. Production. .iux.5^x-,aHyu end thi-ift. 

7. Educational propaganda. 

8. Protection of wo«v=r, workers, wages. ^->-t. ^--«.M*ione». 

9. Conservation of the health and welfare of children. 

10. Medical Section. 

11. Courses of instruction: 

(a) Current events concerning women's war work. > 

(b) Training classes in work for which the state furnishes 

a demand, such ps mctjr service, wireless telegraphy.etc- 

12. Conservation of moral ?nd spiritual forces of the N?tion. 

Nat i an a 1 ^ Rp ° q°:y h C ounc i I 
i At the request of the Council of National Defense the National Research 
Council is maintaining in V/ashington an active committee under the direction of 
Dr. George E. Hale end Dr. R, A. Millikan, for the purpose of cooperating with 
the Council of National Defense in matters pertaining to scientific research 
for the national defense. The N?tion?l Research Council hps m?de s close-knit 
organization of the scientific forces of the country and represents all of the 
more important scientific bodies, as well as the scientific bureaus of the gov- 
ernment in their research capacities. It was organized by the Ngtional Academy 
of Sciences at the request of the President of the United States for the purpose 
of coordinating and stimulating the research activities in the United States in 
the fields of science and engineering. The Nation?! Research Council is at present 
engaged in such investigations as the study of devices for deteotinp; completely sub- 
merged submarines end mines; range finders of various types; devices for detecting 



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invisible aircraft and sapping parties; improvements in v.lroless apparatus 
and other instruments used ;;ith aircraft; military photogTaphy, prevention of 
corrosion rnd electrolytic action on the hulls of vessels; balloon fabrics; 
fabrics foy army slickers; nev explosives; and utilization of wastes and by- 
products. The committee on nitrate supi^ly appointed at the roquest of the 
Secretary of Uar to consider the process to be used by the Government in its 
plant for producing nitrates for explosives and fertilizers, has submitted a 
full report. Tnrougji the cooperation of the Bureau of StcJidards and the geo- 
physical laboratory of the Carnegie Institute v/ith glass manufacturers, the 
problem of supplying the optical glass for military purposes is v/cll advajiced 
toward solution. Other vital matters which arc being fully investigated are 
anti-toxins and serums for diptheria, tetanus, pneumonia, dysentery and men- 
ingitis; intradermal method of vaccinating for smallpox; poljrvalent vaccines 
for typhoid fever; sterilization of drinlting cater; soldiers' clothing and 
blankets; infected wounds; shock; fatigue, occupational diceases with special 
reference to munition v/orkcrs; protection of the oar from high explosives, 
and study of noxious gases and methods of protection against them. 

Committee on Shipping; 
To advise the United States Shipping Board and to report tlirough the 
chairman thereof to the Council of National Defense as to tl-& best methods of 
increasing the tonnage available for shipment to the Allies, a Committee on 
Shipping has been created by tlie Council of Kational Defense. 






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- 24 



Department en Cooporation with State Organizcitions . 

Under the direction of the Diructor of tho Council of National Dofonso, 
and in the immediate charge of Goorgo F. Porter, an active department h?.s 
been established which has for its purpose the coordination cf state defense 
activities throughout the nation. The initial stop of this body consisted 
in a request made by the Secretary of \7ar, in his capacity as chairman of tho 
Council of Nation;:.l Defense, to the governors of all the states to create 
state councils of defense or similar committees with broad powers -to cooperate 
with tho Council of National Defense and to represent the industries, activ- 
ities and resour ces of tRe several states. A number of states, more partic- 
ularly those in tho East, had previously organized. Others proceeded at 
once to do so, and records to date show that thirty-five states have completed 
such organization. These state bodies arc generally Icnown as state councils 
of defense, though some of them are called comraitteos of public safety, and 
by other names. 

Following this action there was called, likewise by the Chainir.n of tho 
Council of National Defense, a conference of the st.^.tcs, consisting of repro- 
sontativc-3 from the state councils, including tho governors of twelve common- 
wealths, which met in Washington on May 2, 1917, and remained in session for 
two days. Every state in ths Union was represented. The conference was 
opened by the Chxirraan of the Council of National Defense, ;.nd tho conferees 
were later addresaed at tho Whito House by the President of the United States. 
Meetings subsoquoBtly he}.d were addressed by the Secretaries of the Navy, the 
Interior, Labor and Coratnerce; by representatives of the Department of Agri- 
culture and by members of the Advisory Ccsmiission and the Director. Frank 
and thorough-going explanation was oade to the state representatives of the 






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-25- 

outstanding needs of the nation in the proaecution of the v/ar \;ith Grermany, 
and specific outline was made as to hov/ the state defense activities could 
best be linked up v/ith the vork of the Federal government in the most intelli- 
gent and efficient coordination for the nation's defense. 

At the conference in question, the follov/ing resolution, proposed by 
the representative- from Rhode Island and seconded by the Governor of Io->-.-a, 
was unanimously adopted by these officially accredited representatives from 
every commonwealth in the United States and from the District of Columbia: 

"/e, the representatives of the various States 
of the Union assembled here in conference by 
invitation of the Council of National Defense, 
desire to express our appreciation of the op- 
portunity the Couaicil has given us to become 
more familiar \;ith the herculean task they 
are performing, and the magnitude of the pa- 
triotic v/ork they are accomplishing. 

V/e desire also to express our entire confidence 
in their" ability to carry to a successful fruition 
their organised endeavors to assist the Govern- 
ment of the United States in the present emergency, 
and to pledge each our several States to the full- 
est cooperation in any direction v/hich may suggest i\ 
itself to the Council of National Defense wherein 
v/e as units may be nov7g^g>£^may hereafter, become 
helpful in this their /national undertaking. 

Following the conference, the v/ork of this departirent has been to col- 
lect information as to the organization and activities of the various state:, 
councils, to answer a number of fox-roal inquiries submitted thereby, a;ad to 
provide a means of keeping in intimate touch v/ith the formation and activities 
of the state councils, as ./ell as to furnish a free flo./ing and speedy channel 
of communication betv/een the stats councils and the Federal Gover-iinent. 

The department has also prepared and sent Lo the state coarcils a tre^iis- 
cript in full of the proceedings of the national defefise conference, i-eports 
aad information from the Departraent of Labor, full inforiiation v.s to the 



» 26 - 



Liberty Loan with request that state coimcils assist intho successful 
placing thereof (this at the request of the Treasury Dopartmcnt ) , and 
information in connection v/ith Hegistration Day along v/ith a roquost 
that this day ho made one for national cclobration. 

COMHTTEES OF OR ASSOCIATED VITH THi: ADVISQHY COMIISSIOK 

The Advisory Coramission, which is a "body of seven civilians ayxjointod 
by the President, the members of v;hich ecrvo in an advisory capacity v/ith- 
out compensation, have formed or cr.uecd to be formed various committees. 
Their duties and accomplishments to date arc as follov/s: 

TransT>ortatiQn and Communication 
At the instance of Commissioner Daniel Willard the railroads of the 
country loavc been completely mobilized for the riation's defense. A 
special committee on national defense of the American BailT/ay Associa- 
tion, comprising the leading railroad executives of the United States, 
has been formed and its machinery has been in motion for a number of wcelcs. 
The executive committee of this special coiiomiltce is composed of Fairfax 
Harrison, cloairman, Howard Elliott, Hale Holdcn, Julius Kruttschnitt, Samuel Hoa, 
and Daniel V/illard, and Edgar E, Clark, of the Interstate Coinmerce Coramission, 
ex-officio. This executive committee has established permanent headquarters 
in Washington with the necessary staff of experts end office employees at the 
expense of the railways of the United States, and is practically in continuous 
secsion. The special committee, itself, is subdivided over the country into 



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- 27 ~ 

Gix dcpartmoats, each to correspond to one of the military departments of the 
Ariny. The personnel of thccc departmental bodies is made up in each case of 
from four to seven railroad oxocutivcn. There airolinj- tnrix sub-coraidttoos on 
car service, military equipment standards, military tranoportation acco-unting, 
military paoscngcr tnriffo, military freight tariffs, and materials and sup- 
plies, each of these cominittcos teng composed of highly qualified transpor- 
tation executives. The special corriroittco has adopitcd the broadest attitude 
in connection r/ith the public interest. It has among other things declared 
that an emergency exists \;hich requires that coal be given preference in car 
supply and movement; it has issued nccucs^ry instructions to the railways 
that the movement of ore be preferential, second only to coal; it has caused 
to bo modified the car service rules to facilitate the free movement of freight 
so as to permit a larger latitude in the handling of box cars in the interest 
of national efficiency as distinguished from that of individual railroads; and 
the special committee has certified to tha Council of National Defense that in 
its judgment certain preferences should be given to the movement of fuel, as 

follov;s: 

1st: Fuel for the United States Govcrninent . 

2nd: Fuel for the j^oads upon -.vhich mines are located. 

3rd: Fuel for steam railroads other than those upon 

T/hich mines arc located. 
4th: Fuel for other purposes. 

At llr. V/illard's request the committee submitted suggestions to the 
Council of National Defense as to persons to compose the proposed railroad 
commission to visit Russia and reco;:nraend methods for the operation of the 
Siberian railroads. The Advisory Coinmission of the Council of National De- 
fense was advised that it \ic.s the sense of the special committee that conventions 



- 28 - 

bi-inging largo bodies of parsons to one point should be discouraged in the 
interest of conservation of fuel, to avoid congestion, to prevent interruption 
to necessary freight traffic and to conserve equij«ient and energies which must 
be applied to the accompli shinent of transportation requirements of the country. 
The special committee has arranged for active study on the part of the 
department committees of 

(a) Distribution of power as batwuon railroads. 

(b) Adjustment of passengor train service in 

accordance with national requirements. 

Other accomplishments of the special defense cominittee are as follows: 
Tho issuance to the railways of a bulletin indicating ways in which added 
efficiency might be obtained by individual roads; the initiation of a movement 
for the pooling of coal of like characteristics at la^e ports in the interest 
of efficiency and expedition of movement; the undertaking of the enlistment of 
the nino reserve ongine-r regiipents composed of skilled railway workers to aid 
in the rehabilitation of the railways of France, as v/ell as in the operation 
of the French railways behind the English lines; an arrangement for the movemertt 
of coal for naval use from mines in West Virginia to the Pacific Coast in box 
cars instead of in open cars, in order to prevent the uneconomical empty 
haul of open cars from Pacific Coast points to the East; the handling of a 
vast number of requests fcsr priority in car supply and in movement, those 
questions having been broiight to the attention of tte special committee 
by agencies of the government, members of Congress and co mmercial interests; 
the preliminary work on relocation of cars so as to produce the largest 
measure of transportation; the perfection in connection with the proper 
officers of the Army of a complete scheme of cooperation in the moveraentt 
of troops and supplies of every description. The definite practical 



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-29- 



expedition of movement of food products follo-.ving on many conferences 
with representatives of the Allies and of the Department of Agriculture, 
The special committee has pIso under wpy, ?mong other things: 

(a) Through negotiations with the National Industrial Traffic 
Lepgue, a representative body of shippers, the formation of ? committee 
of shippers to cooperate with the special committee. 

(b) The simplification of tariffs covering the movement of im- 
pediments for troops. 

(c) The list of available routes between specified points for 
the use of military authorities. 

Under the committee on national defense of the 'merican Electric 
Railway /Association, acting in cooperation with and at the instance of 
Mr. V/illard, a committee, vmder the chairmanship of General George N. 
Harries, has been organized and is cooperating with t>ie special defense 
committee of the 'raerican Railway Association. 

Mr. V/illard has assisted in the creation of a committee of which Mr. 
John Stephens, one time Chief Engineer of the Panama Canal, is chairman 
and four other men prominent in railroad work are members, v/hich has gone 
to Russia, properly accredited by the President to call on Russian offi- 
cials. They will be met at Vladivostoclc and go over the road to find out 
v/hat particular things are needed in the way of equipment that we can fur- 
nish, and what materials or men v/e can send that will be helpful. 



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- 50 - 

Telephone and Telegraph Committee 
Mith regard to the utilization of the telephone and telegraph systems 
of the country for the Government's needs, tlie vital thing fully realized by 
both federal officers and the v;ire conpanies has been to perfect a coordi- 
nation to insure complete cooperation not onl5'- bet^veen the Government and 
the conrpanies, but between tlie coiiipanies themselvevS with regard to coiranuni- 
cations and censorship of communications. That v;as all arranged for some 
two months ago at the instcjace of I.Ir . V/illard, chiefly throvigh the instru- 
mentality of Theodore IT. Vail, president of the American Telephone and Tele- 
graph Company, v/ho acts as cliairraan of this committee. Elaborate plans 

have been worked out r.lrer,dy tin-oughout the United States, all govem- 

been 
ment toll calls having/given precedence over official messages, the 

giving of this special service requires extraordinary action on the part 
of the telephone officials every\7here, including the special drilling of 
some 12,000 long line operators in different parts of the country. The 
long distance facilities out of V/ashington have been increased from 148 
wires to 294 wires, and plans are r^ov/ being made for a still further in- 
crease. Good telephone service can be given between V.'ashington and the head- 
quarters of every department and naval district in the United States. Pro- 
vision has been made for handling telephone calls promptly even with a large 
increase in business betv/een the various army department headquarters and the 
state Capitols, the army posts and the national and state mobilisation camps 
in each military department. Extensive metlx)ds have been devised for special 
telephone a»d telegraph wire systems for the exclusive use of the Ifer, Navy 
and other departments of the Government. More than 10,000 miles of special sys- 
tems have already been taken from conanercial use and devoted exclusively to 



^iSno'.'i. 









- 31 - 

the service of the Navy,. Agriculture and other executive depprtmentSt 
A very comprehensive system for the '7ar Department has been evolved 
and will be put into service upon the call of the chief siprial officer 
of the Army. Plans are being rapidly executed to increase the local 
telephone facilities of 'Vashington; an entirely new central office with 
an ultimate capacity of 10,000 lines, is being installed. Provision 
has already been made for the construction of telephone systems in the 
mobilization camps. Active assistance has been given by the Bell System 
to the U.S. Coast Guard officials, and plans made for providing telephone 
connections at approximately 100 light houses and 200 coast guard stations, 
involving the laying of some 300 miles of submarine cable, constructing 
more t^an 650 miles of pole line and stringing more than 1,200 miles of 
wire. Special facilities have been provided for the National Guard, par- 
ticularly in connection with guarding important railroad points, bridges, 
and water supply systems. Even more extensive plans have been put into 
effect in cooperation with the Navy with brilliant success. 

Committee on Supplies 
The function of the Committee on Supplies, of which the chairman is 
Julius Tfosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck ^ Company, of Chicago, is 
to cooperate vith the purchasing bureaus of the ^ar and Navy Departments, 
to advise and assist them in the procurement of necessary clothing, equip- 
age and food, and as far as possible to coordinate the buying of the re- 
spective departments in these directions. The committee is composed of 
six men chosen from different lines of business, who are devoting their 
entire time to the work of the committee \rithout compensation. Asso- 
ciated with them are two officers of the Army, familiar with purchasing 






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- 32 - 

problems. The work of the Committee on Supplies mry perhaps best 
be instanced by relating its action in an advisory capacity in connection 
with the method employed by the V.'sr and Navy rep?rtirents in purchasing 
supplies throuph advertising and circulars to bidders. The Committee on 
Supplies advpnced f^pt this method, while perhaps satisfactory in peace 
times, embodied very serious disadvantages in time of v/ar in viev; of the 
multiplied need of the government. Hence, the committee advised the 
purchasing departments of the government that the system of advertisement 
and bids would necessarily tend to a stimulation of the market with a 
resultant inflation of prices. On ''pril 12, 1917, the Secretary of V'ar 
declared that an emergency existed within the meaning of Section 3709 of 
the Revised Statutes, and ordered that contracts be made without adver- 
tising for bids. The Committee has likev'ise endeavored with some suc- 
cess, through the General Munitions Board, to coordinate the requirements 
and purchases of the various departments so as to reduce to a minimum, 
or to eliminate altop-ether, the possibility of the government being a 
direct competitor of itself by the purchase of supplies through separate 
channels. Specifications of many of the items required-by the govern- 
ment were written at a time when needs v/ere small and conditions of 
world trade normal. Radical changes have becc«ne necessary since this 
country entered the war, in the specifications for textiles, shoes and 
Other items, f limited supply of raw materials and the needs of our 
allies have made immediate action imperative. Therefore the com'^ittee 
has cooperated with the proper departments in drafting new specifications 
which would provide the best possible substitutes for articles difficult 
or impossible to obtain in the requisite quantities. 



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33 - 



The Committee on Supplies has wherevor possible assisted tho pur- 
chasing officers to deal directly with the prime producers of the articlss 
needed. In the judgment of the coramittue a purchaser of the size of the 
United States needs the services of no middlemen to Sucuro its supplies. 
In this scopt: of ita worfc tho committo. has be^n subjected to criticism 
by dealers and army contractors vho have in the past secured options on 
supplies ^7hich they toow the government vrould need, and which they have 
then offered to the government at an increased price. 

In many instances the Committee on Supplies has buen able to "peg" 
the price of supplies required in large quantities by the government at 
figures existing at tho beginning of tho war, or in some casus at figures 
lower than those prevailing at that time. Tho committee has also secured 
options for the government on large supplies of leather and other mater- 
ials required at prices in effect at the beginning of the war, avail- 
able for the government's acceptance at periods of from four to six 
months. 

The Committee on Supoliae has caused to be created to advise and asiist 
it cooperative committees in the cotton, wo61en, snoe and leather, knit goods 
and mattress industries. V/ith the assistance of those committees, the 
Committee on Supplies has bcjn able to mobilize those industries for the 
service of the government, to ^ring to the purchasing departmunts of the 
government the services of many mills and factories which aad never bo- 
fore produced government goods and which would not nov; be in tho raarlcot 
for the government goods were they not asked by this comraitt^a lor pa.triot-r. 
ic reasons to place a portion of their plants at the disposal of the 



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Um 



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- 34 - 

gO"^ernment . In this way the committee has been ?t3.e to enlarge the field 
in which the purchasing depprtments of the government ?re pble to buy, 
snd ?lso to increase the deliveries. 

The Committee on Supplies has had field agents cooperating with the 
factories to expedite deliveries cf government goods. These field agents 
have served t/ifhout expense to the government for time or disbursements. 
Through the securing of options, through the "pegging" of prices of the 
various articles, through the elimination of middlemen, through the re- 
duction in competition between goverrment departments in buying, the 
commi't-tee believes it has enabled the governm.ent to make substantial 
savings in its purchases. The committee has worked primarily on articles 
of nUerchandise which involved unusual difficulty, either because of the 
large quantities in which they were required or because of the shortage 
of the materials involved in their manufacture or because of the unusual 
competitive demand for similar articles for civilian use. Members of 
the committee have conferred with members of the Balfour mission as to the 
methods of purchasing which have been developed by the governments of our 
Allies. 

Kaw F?,teri?l_s_, M inerals and Metals 

This committee, headed by Bernard M. Baruch, has organized the field with 
regard to raw materials, minerals and metals in the following industries: 
Alcohol, aluminum, asbestos, magnesia and roofing, brass, cement, chemicals, 
coal tar by-products, copper, lead, l\imber, mica, nickel, oil, pig iron, 
iron ore and lake transportation, rubber, steel and steel products, sulphur, 
wool and zinc. 



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- 36 - 



Cooperative con-irij-'otecrs hrve be<:^n forrred uiic'er the forepoing hea^lings. 
Several of therse con-.i-lttees mpincsin represen-' stives in Washington in order 
to \ceep in close tOL.ch vit^ the exociative d^p?rtments of the {^overnr^ent, 
and the chai^-man cf all cf the cooperative corrunittees visit Washington from 
time to time and get in to^icn with the depsrtments r^ith v.'hich they hpve to 
derl. Their endeavor is to become pcqt;?inted witT- the requirements of the 
government de3)f^rtments and their specif ic?tions, snd in every w?y possible be 
helpful, r.'hile bho^e committees were formed to mobilize the industries in 
given fields ?nd to act only in rn advisory capacity, experience has sho^m 
that they h?ve been of great im.mediate vplue to the governm.ent in perfecting 
esrly deliveries and in +he ma'cinr of lower-than-merket prices. 

The concrete accompli shr.ents of the Committee on Paw Materials, Min- 
erals and Fetal s, m^-y be i"iemised ss follows: 

(a) 45,000 TpoxmC-z of copper hrve been offered to the government by 
the copper interests, acting at the instance of th'.s conmittee, at an 
?pproximate saving to the government of $10,0C0,C00> It is the belief of 
this Committee t^^at through this ^genair hundreds of millions of pounds of 
copper required by the Allies and our ovTn depprtments such as the Army, 
Navy and the Pan?ma Cansl Commission, can be boup-ht ?t prices that will show 
an enormous saving. 

(b) The cooperative committee on zinc has plre^dy contracted for 
some 25,000,000 pounds of zinc at practically tvvc-thirds cf the market 
price, and is prepared to use its efforts to affect still further savings 
on the vast qu?ntities that m.ust be purchased. 



- 36 - 



(c) Through the cooperative coirmittee on steel the Navy Depart- 
ment contracted for several hundred thousand tons of ship plates snd other 
materials at great concessions. When ship pistes Trero selling ?it $160 

a ton, the Navy bought thera at $58 a ton. 

(d) The cooperative committee on alxaminum purchased fcr the 
government its need of aluminum at 27g- cents per pound, when the regular 
price of the sellers to large purchasers was 38 cents, and the market 
price was 60 cents per pound. 

(e) The cooperative committee on chemicals is now engaged In 
negotirtions with the fertilizer interests of the country which will sta- 
bilize and lo^er prices. 

(f) The cooperative committee on cil has closed contracts, for 
the delivery of oil to the Navy, of a highly satisfactory nature with re- 
gard to prices snd deliveries. 

It should be stated that none of the foregoing committees is in any 
way exercising executive functions, but each has merely advised with and 
assisted the executive department of that government in the purchase cf 

their supplies. 

Com mj.1;te ^ on Jl.aTigr. 
This committee has fs its cheirmsn Samuel Gompers, president <rf the 
American Federation of Labor. For the purpose of mobil'^^irg the labor 
elements of the country for the government's assistance In the furtherance 
of the war, Mr. Gompers called a meeting for organ^3?tioi. purposes in 
Washington, on April 2. 1917. More than 150 labor ropresentatives and 



■o --.J^-^-- 



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7 

- 37 > 



employers v;erc larcsent, as v/ell as the officers and executive coniraittee 
of the .'jnerican Federation of Labor, the presidents or representatives of 
the leading internr-tional -unions and of the rail\;ay brotherhoods, and of 
the national Association of I.]anuf acttirers , and representatives of a v/ide 
range of commercial, transportation, fiiicjacial and civic interests. It 
was the definite purpose of Ilr. Gornpers and his associates to avoid the 
unfortunate industrial experiences of England in tho opening months of 
the European v/ar. Out of tlie conference in question it became clear 
that on the issue of national defense a remarkable unity of purpose had 
developed among the many diverse groups represented, which it v/ould be 
possible to utilize to practical ends through the Committee on Labor of 
the Advisory Comnission. A permanent organization r;as formed and an 
executive coriimittoe of eleven members na-rned. &rov/ing from this eight 
national cohimittecs have been appointed, of \;.iich tiiose v/hose plans are 
furthest advanced arc the corjmittccs in relation to v/agcs and hours, 
rnediation and conciliation s^d v/elfaro \/ork, including safety, s^Jaitation 
and industrial training. Tho principle upon which these features of 
T/elfaye \/ork coimaittce's ■ aseigiiod taok in bascdjl-is-tthat the health, 
welfare and officiency of the workers in the vitcl induutriei; upon \/aich 
all eloe depends are ultimate reticurces -./hich must be conserved in the 
interest of the national defence. To tlie OoniBittee on Labor have been 
pledged the support and cooperation of :;uch national -".nd local organiza- 
tions, both of labor and of industry and i;i various civic and technical 
fields, as the American Federation of Labor, tlie national Association of 
Manufacturers, the American Institute of Arcliitects, the National Fire 
Prevention Association, the National Board of Fire Underv/ritera, the 



- 38 - 



Illuminatine: Engineers Society, the Nptional Council of Safety, the 
.\merics>n Museum of Scfety, the Nsticnsl Consvmers' League, the Ngtion?! 
Child Lrbor Coinmittee, the American Association of Industrial Physicians 
?nd Surgeons, the American Public Health Association, the Young Men's 
Christian Association, the National Civic Federation, the National Asso- 
ciation for the Promotion of Industrial Education, the Joint Conference 
of Coal Miners and Operators of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and v,'estern Penn- 
sylvania, and the J'ining and J'etallurgical Society of America. 

• Conferences 'Vith British fnd Canadian Lphor 
In response to the cabled request of Mr. Gompers to Premier Lloyd 
George of Great Brit?in, there is now in this country a comnission of 
four representptives of English lrbor r^nd welfare worl?, which has placed 
at the disposal of the Coirrrittee on Labor the Enp-lish experience through- 
out the past three years in dealing with employment problems of the utmost 
gravity, '"his commission consists of C. V.'. Bowerman and James K. Thomas, 
Members of 'Parliament and respectively Secretary of the British Trade Union 
Congress ?nd Secretary of the National U'lion of 'R?ilwaymen; H. Y/. Garrod, 
representing Labor in the Department of I'inistry of Tv'unitions; and Joseph 
Davies, Secretary to Wr. David Lloyd George. The m.embers of the British 
labor commission h?ve been in executive session with re'nbers of the 
Committee on Labor during the f^reater pprt of the past two wee^s and have 
since been joined by t'.vo labor representatives sent by the government of 
Canada. Both the English and the Canadian commissions were heard pt length 
pt p public session of the full Committee on Labor on ?'ay 15,1917. The 



- 39 - 

diGC-aGsions proved of high practical value and were participated in by Judge 
Ilavirice 3. ^'uiios, of the British GorrmiDciOR; James Duncan, representing Labor 
on the American Commission to Russia; John D. Hockefeller, Jr., Daniel Gxiggon- 
hcin, John R. Alpine, prosidcnt of the Plumbers & Stcamf ittcrs' Association;- 
Eiiicrcon Mcl'Iillin, .^rthur 0. V;harton, president of the Railway Employees' De- 
partment of the American Federation of Labor; Theodore llarburg, George V\'. 
Perkins, Colgate Hoyt, Sara B. Conboy, secretary of the United Textile Workers; 
and former Ambassador Ilyron T. Herriok, and others. The committee and its 
gacctG were received at the V.hite Houce by President V/ilson, who expressed 
his personal interest in tho work of tho committee and his desire to cooperate 
in the furtherance of its purpose. The CoCTflittcc on Labor has now a mciriber- 
ship of some 400 persons. Its executive consnittec consists of: 

Samuel Gompers, Chairman. 

Hon. V/illiam B. Wilson, Secretary of Labor. 

V. Everit .'lacy, president, national Civic Federation. 

James Lord, president, liining Dcpt., /oriorican Federation of Labor. 

Elisha Lcc, general manager, Pennsylvania Railroad. 

V/arrcn S. Stcnc, grand chief, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. 

C. E, Michael, of the National Association of Manufacturers. 

Frank Morrison, secretary, rancrican Federation of Labor. 

Leo K. Frankel, third vice-president. Metropolitan Insurance Co. 

James O'Conncll, president, Ilctal Trades Dept., /un. Fed. of Labor. 

Louis B. Schram, chairman. Labor Cojnmittees, U.S. Brewers' Assn. 

To i'laintain Ikisting Standards 

Perhaps tho .uost outstanding achievement of the Committee on Labor 
has been the following resolution adopted at the meeting of its executive 



■rrc 1 



Oif.v. 



7 ff:"r<* * ,- 



40- 



committee and approved by' the Council of National Defense and its Advis- 
ory Comraission on April 6, 1917; 

The defense and safety of the nation must be the first 
consideration of all patriotic citizens. To avoid confusion 
and facilitate the preparation for national defehse and give 
a stable basis upon v'hich the representatives of the Govern- 
ment may operate during the war, we recommends 

First ; That the Council of National Defense should 
issue a statement to employers and employees in our indus- 
trial plants and transportation systems advising that nei- 
their employers nor employees shall endeavor to take advantage 
of the country's necessities to change existing standards. 
When economic or other einergo'ncios arise requiring changes 
of standards, the samo should be made only after such pro- 
posed changes have been investigated and approved by the 
Council of National Defense. 

Second : That the Council of National Defense urge 
upon the legislatures of the States, as well as all admin- 
istrative agencies charged with the enforcement of labor 
and health laws, the great duty of rigorously maiotaining 
the existing safeguards as to the health and tha welfare of 
workers, and that no departure from such present standards 
in state la^;i-s or state rulings affecting labor, should be 
taken without a declaration of the Council of National Defense 
that 3uch a departure is essential for the effective pursuit 
of the national defonac. 



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- 41 - 



Third ; Th?t the Council of JJational Defense urge upon 
the legislatures of the several States that before final ad- 
journment they delegate to the governors of their respective 
States the power to suspend or modify restrictions contained 
in their labor laws when such suspension or modification 
shell be requested by the Council of National Defense; and 
such suspensions or modifications, when made shall continue 
for a specified period and not longer then the duration of 
the wart 

The foregoing resolution w?s on April 16, by motion of the exe- 
cutive committee of the Committee on Labor, and with the approval of 
the Council of National Defense amplified as follows: 

There seems to be some misunderstanding of the scope 
of the statement made by the Council of National Defense 
when it advised "that neither employers nor employees shall 
endeavor to take advantage of the country's necessities to 
change existing standards." In order that that misunder- 
standing may be removed, the following amplification is 
made. 

There have been established by legislation, by mutual 
agreement between employers and employees, or by custom, 
certain standards constituting a day's work. These vary 
from seven hours per day in some kinds of work to tvrelve 
hours per day in continuous -ope rat ion plants. The various 
states and municipalities have established specific stand- 
ards of safety and sanitation and have provided inspection 



- IP - 



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- 42 - 

aervice to enforce the regulations* They have pi so es- 
tablished maximum hours of work for women and minimum age 
limits for children employed in gpinful occupations. It 
is the judgment of the Council of National Defense th?t the 
Federal St?te end Municipal g'ovemments should continue 
to enforce the standards they have estphlished unless and 
until the Council of National Defense has determined that 
some modifications or change of standards is essential to 
the national safety; th?t employers rnd emploj-ees in privrte 
industries should not rttempt to take advantage of the ex- 
isting abnormal conditions to chansre the standards v^hich they 
were un?ble t-o change ^onder normal conditions. 

The one other standard th?t the Council had in mind 
was the standard of living. It recognizes th?t the standard 
of living is indefinite and difficult to determine, because 
it is in a measure dependent upon the purchasing power of 
wages. It believes, however, th?t no arbitrary chsnEce in 
wages should be sour-ht at this time by either employers or 
employees through the process of strikes or lockouts ^vith- 
out at least giving the established agencies, including 
those of the several states and of the governm.ent, and of 
the Mediation Board in the tr?nsportation service ?5nd tho 
Division of Conciliation of the Department of Labor in other 
industries, an opportunity to adjust the difficulties without 
a stoppage of work occurring, V/hile the Council of Nation?! 
Defense does not mean to intim.ate that under ordinary circTim- 



f.-.f- ^r,^'- 



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- 43 - 

stances the efficiuncy of woritors is the only olomunt that 
should bo takoxT into consideration in- fixing tho hours of 
labor, safoty, sanitation, W0"'icin's worlc and child la'^or stand- 
ards, such officiuncy is tho obj-^ct that t.iust .)0 attained 
during tao period -.sMon tao nation's safcsty is i..'/olvi,:d. It 
liiay ther^ifore b^ nacessary for tho Council as a rosult of its 
investigations and oxocriuncos to suggest modifications 
and changes in these standards during that time. It i s not 
the purpose of thj Council, hov:uVor, to uiidortalCQ to dcterminii ', " ' . 
tho wago rate- that will bo sufficiont to maintain the uxisting 
standards of living. Such questions as cannot bo adjust-^d 
by private nogotiations should bo referred to the oediation 
agencies above roferrud to or to such other constituted agen- 
cies as may exist to the end that such questions may be adjust- 
ed in an orderly and equitable manner to avoid the stoppage 
of industries which are so vital to the interests of the 
nation at this critical time. 

Huiiitions and IJanufacturing ( Includ i ng Standardiaation ) , 
and Industrial Relatioaa 

The Council of National Defense has in its files more than 
27,000 detailed reports from the larger rranufacturing plants of tho 
country as to capacity of those plants to ;Tieet the military and indus- 
trial needs of tha government in time of war. Tnis vast fund of infor- 
mation was Gollectod by the Coranittee on Industrial Preparedness of tho 
Kaval Consulting Board of the United States, sail corrur.ittee being headed 
by Mr. Coffin, and all of the records are nov; under lir. Golf in' s 
branch of the ■•ork; in the Advisory Con-niiisaion of the Council of National 
Defense. 



- 44 - 

Under llr , Coffin arc concentratod the activities of a body known 
as the Coimittco on Automotive Trans]?ort v/hicli lias to do v/ith truck 
specifications for the V/ar Department, the training of truckmastcrs and 
cliauffcrs, nilitary tinick tires, motorization of field artillery, 
volunteer motor truck companies, matters of pcrsonnol, matters dealing 
v/ith engine OJad transmission manufacturers and v.-ith drop forge managers, 
and the necessities of tractor manafacturc in connection vjith the food 
problem. 

The specifications for military trucks under which bids to bo opened 
on Juno 10, 1917, in Chicago, havo bccai asked for, v/ill be distributed 
in printed form v;ithin a fcv/ days. Their issuance makes the final step 
in the result of a long-continued cooperation betv/eon the motor transport 
board of the V/ar Department and the Society of AutCHnotive Engineers, 
reprcscntod in the Coumittce on Automotive Transport in an endeavor to 
arrive at a set of specifications having a maximum value to the Army, 
and yet to be drawn in such shape as to meet commercial needs and en- 
courage manufacturers in the greatest possible dogrco. 

On liay 14, 1917, a conference of fifteen chief engineers, repre- 
senting the principal truck rainufacturcrs of the United States, and hold 
in the rooms of the conmittcc under the auspices of the Society of Auto- 
motive Engineers, resulted in a caTTplctc standardization of many of the 
salient details as to special equipment demanded by the Quartormastcr's 
Department on trucks for v/ar scrvioo. Great uniformity v/as obtained, 
oven in thoso details not completely standardized. This marks tho enter- 
ing v/cdgo of a corapletcly standardized military truck. A still more im- 
portant and possihly far-reaching effect of the mooting v/as the agrco- 



- 45 - 

Qiont arrived at to cooperate in tljp jfjardhase of the particular pert« 
under considGration. The cost, for inetanfie, of designing and dupli- 
cating tho die and tool equipment for making each new type of towing 
hook or guard may exceed a thousand dollars, although the number of 
peices needed for any one naanufacturer is rolativijly scnll. It is hoped 
to save all of this overhead by concentrating upon one type which will 
be satisfactory to all the engineers concerned and which can bo pro- 
duced economically in quantities sufficient for all the Army needs by 
a relatively small numbor of sources of supply. In the aggregate this 
constitutes a large saving to the Govornfaent and tnakes it possible for 
the engineers to focus their labors on the production of ussuntial 
developments. The office of the Quartermaster General has expressed 
approval of, and is cooperating in, a plan put forward by the committee 
to furnish truckmasters and chauffeurs in sufficient numbers. This vjork 
embraces the coordination of schools and private concerns so far as pos- 
sible in tho direction of stimulating enlistment in tho reserve corps 
and in giving proper instructions to round off the preparation of thou- 
sands of passenger car drivers into truck drivers. 

This Committee had arranged through the oflfico of tte Quartencastor 
General for prompt delivery of the steel necessary in the equipment of 
demountable tires, many technical complications having be^^n cleared av/ay. 
The coramitteu is prepared to offer to the Governmejrf; through the channel 
of the Society of Automotive Engineers alone, some 1,000 engineers of tho 
highest type capablo of adaption to practically all of the mechanical 
transport aaeds of the Govarmnent, freaa the laying out of designs to 



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- 46 - 



the officering ?nd oaintennnce af motor transport units. The committee 
is also taking up actively the question of fsrm tractors in connection 
with the food problem, bein? in close touch with the qualified persons 
on this subject now in the United States with the British commission, 
and has been as well in conference with the authorities of the Depart- 
ment of Agriculture. 

A cooperative committee hss been pppointed by the Association of 
Public Utilities Companies to represent said companies in an advisory 
capacity to Mr. Coffin. This cooperative committee has to do with 
large problems pertaining to the production and distribution of pov/er 
and light (both gas and electrical). 

Under Mr. Coffin also is serving in an advisory capacity a committee 
of five appointed by the National Industrial Conference Board, representing 
the greater percentage of the manufacturing and producing concerns in the 
country. 

Under the Committee on Engineering and Education, the chairman of 
v/hich is Dr. Hollis Godfrey, the chief consideration has been the development 
of a comprehensive method for the solution of problems of engineering and 
education in the United States brought sharply to the fore under wpr-tirae 
conditions. 'Vorking under this committee are consulting, operating, general 
engineering, production engineering, and education sections, of which the 
last is divided into a university group and a secondary school group. 
The consulting section touches general engineering as they relate to 
manufacture and construction; the operating section is concerned with 
the consummation of policies outlined by the consulting section, and the 
checking of these policies in actual practice; the general engineering 



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- 4t - 



section deals with the development of ©ngrijuoerinff as related to w?r; the 
production engineering section handles specific problems of pJr-oduction 
ongineerinf as they relate to certain gro'^ps of ftlUdamental industries » 
and the educational section is active in the coordination of the educational 
resources of the country and their relation, to the national government. The 
Committee has covered a great deal of bro^d ground which may not be stated 
in detail here. 

• The Settlen^ent of t^^ | ta ilroad Strike 

Because of the necessity of maintaining uninterrupted trans- 
portation facilities during the war, the Council of National Defense and 
its Advisory Commission took an active Interest in the settlement of the 
recent threatened national railroad strike. Following upon a special 
meeting of the Council of National Defense to consider this emergent 
situation, the Council reccraitended to the President of the United States 
and his Cabinet that two of the members of the Council, namely, the 
Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Labor, and tv;o of the 
members of the 'advisory Commission, Daniel Willard and Samuel Compere, 
proceed at once to New York and enter into negotiations with the rail- 
roads and employees looking to a successful adjusti^ent of the issue. Thi» 
wae done, and the outcome of these negotiations is too well imovm to demand 
specific statement here. 



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« 48 - 

Tlie Volunteer non-pcld Servant g of fp^e 
Council of National Defense , Q-nC the Advisory Coniiussiort. 

The work of the Coimcil of National Defense is largely carried on tliro-ugh 
the assistance of civilians who serve without pay. Their services have been 
obtained in the full realization that the conduct of modem war enlists the 
non-]partisan specialists of every industry and every science, and in the real- 
ization that \/ars are now won not only by fighting men but also by coordina,ted 
industries. 

In the service of the Cotmcil and Advisory Commission, with the labors of 
both bodies touching about evoi^y angle of the nation's life, there are but ■ 
eighty paid employees. Alinost all of these are clerks and stenographers. A 
task similar to that with which the Gon^Tess has charged the Coimcil and Advis- 
ory Commission can be carried on with so small a salary roll only by the voluntoer 
service of civilians above referred to* Of these there are more than one h\xn- 
dred men of the most highly trained type, dravm from the fields of every industry 
and science the expert knowledge from which it is absolutely vital to obtain and 
utilize in the present national emergency. These one hundred men are giving 
their entire time to the Council and Commission without compensation. They them- 
selves pay their living expenses in VfesMngton. In addition there are several 
hundred more /men of the same type giving free a large part of their time to the 
work, not only in Washington, but tliroughout the country. It cannot be made too 
clear that the Council and Advisory Commission are enabled to carry on their la- 
bors at so lov/ a cost only through the ungrudging aid of these volunteer, non- 
paid workers, representative in very great measure of ttie trained brain power of 

the nation. 

Attached hereto you will find detailed lists of the personnel of the Council 
and Advisory Consnission, and of their boards, sections and committees. 

Very re sjpect fully, 
(Signed) W. S. GIFFOH), 

Director of the Council of National Defense 
and of taie Advisory Commission. 



